Month: February 2011

Diabetes is on the rise, yet most cases of diabetes are preventable with healthy lifestyle changes. Some can even be reversed. The bottom line is that you have more control over your health than you think. If you’re concerned about diabetes, you can make a difference by eating a healthy diet, keeping your weight in check, and getting exercise.

Packed with powerhouse nutrients, vegetables are naturally low in calories, and they’re full of fiber, so they’re plenty filling. Loading your plate with vegetables will automatically mean you’re eating fewer simple carbs (which raise blood sugar) and saturated fats (which increase insulin resistance). Aim to get foour or five servings a day. Research has shown that onions contain an anti-diabetic compound, which is much similar to the compounds (propyl, allyl, allicin and disulphide) that are used for insulin synthesis.

At the center of the famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is olive oil is considered a ‘good’ fat that helps slash the risk of heart attack — and has been shown to help keep blood sugar steady by reducing insulin resistance. So toss the butter and cook with olive oil instead. Beans are just about your best source of dietary fiber, which not only makes you feel full longer, it actually slows digestion and keeps blood sugar from spiking after a meal. This effect is so powerful that it can even lower your overall blood sugar levels. Versatile, extremely lean, and low in calories, chicken breast is practically a miracle food. Unlike steaks and hamburgers, it’s low in saturated fat, which raises ‘bad’ cholesterol and may increase insulin resistance, making blood sugar control more difficult. The right breakfast cereal is your absolute best opportunity to pack more fiber into your day. There is a bonus: studies show that people who start the morning with a high-fiber cereal actually eat less later on. Amazingly, just by sprinkling cinnamon on your foods, you could lower your blood sugar. Components in cinnamon help the body use insulin more efficiently, so more glucose can enter cells. Skimmed milk can be taken and use yogurt with no additional flavors.

A diabetes diet — medically known as medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for diabetes — simply translates into eating a variety of nutritious foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular mealtimes. If you have diabetes you should follow a special diet. Remember to drink water with each meal. Diabetes Type 1 must be treated by regular injection of insulin, it cannot be control with a diabetic diet or exercise alone. Approximately 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese or overweight, in most cases it can be managed by engaging in a diabetic diet weight loss plan together with proper amount of exercise. Treatment for gestational diabetes includes special diabetic diet meal and scheduled physical activity. In some cases it may also include daily blood glucose testing and insulin injections.

Diabetic diet plan is simply a healthy balanced meal plan followed by diabetes patient. A good diet plan will not only help you improve your blood glucose levels but also help keep your weight on track. Diabetic diet plan differ from person to person due to our nutritional needs, daily activity and type of diabetes a patient suffers. Following are some important points suggested by the American Diabetic Association when planning your meal. Foods that should be avoided include; fatty red meat, organ meat, highly processed food, fried food, fast food, high cholesterol food and foods rich in saturated fat.

• One serving of protein

• One serving of bread

• One serving of dairy

• One serving vegetables

• One serving fruit

• Small amounts of unsaturated fats are needed, so add a little dressing or a pat of soft margarine

• Avoid sweets – consider the fruit your dessert

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you see a dietitian to guide you on dietary changes that can help you control your blood sugar (glucose) level and manage your weight. Diet is very important in diabetes. There are differing philosophies on what is the best diet but below is a guideline with some general principles. Talk with your diabetes teacher to make a meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your own plan.

Diabetes can and often does go undiagnosed because the symptoms can seem harmless and oftentimes normal. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during the second half of pregnancy.Although gestational diabetes typically goes away after delivery of the baby. Women who have gestational diabetes are more likely than other women to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Some diabetes symptoms include:

• Frequent urination

• Excessive thirst

• Extreme hunger

• Unusual weight loss

• Increased fatigue

• Irritability

• Blurry vision

Pre diabetes is a condition wherein no physical symptoms are seen although you are predisposed to having diabetes because of the risk factors that are present like having a history of diabetes in the family, age, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, insulin resistance, smoking, alcoholic abuse and an unhealthy lifestyle. Type 1 diabetes is typically recognized in childhood or adolescence. It used to be known as juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms:

• Frequent urination

• Excessive thirst

• Extreme hunger

• Unusual weight loss

• Increased fatigue

• Irritability

• Blurry vision

However, high blood sugar is not something you can see in the mirror at home, so it is useful to know the side – effects of high blood sugar, which are commonly recognized as the noticeable symptoms of diabetes. The pancreas secretes insulin, but the body is partially or completely unable to use the insulin. This is sometimes referred to as insulin resistance. The body tries to overcome this resistance by secreting more and more insulin. People with insulin resistance develop type 2 diabetes when they do not continue to secrete enough insulin to cope with the higher demands.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms:

• Blurry vision

• Cuts or sores that are slow to heal

• Itchy skin, yeast infections

• Increased thirst

• Dry mouth

• Need to urinate often

• Leg pain

If you have one or more of these diabetes symptoms, see your doctor right away. You can also take our Online Diabetes Risk Test to find out if you are at risk for diabetes.